8 minute read
An unforgettable evening
Armani/Pavilion hosted the official Arabian Travel Market 2022 show party, giving guests an enjoyable evening with sensational entertainment
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The great outdoors
Explore Saudi Arabia’s abundant outdoor offering that combines endless desert dunes, lush oases and mesmerising stargazing sites
AlUla
Saudi Arabia is the ideal location for outdoor adventures. Whether camping, hiking, cycling or scuba diving, it is a natural playground for the intrepid traveller and thrillseeker. Travelling the length and breadth of the country, one will come across some of the most memorable locations and unforgettable experiences from land to sea, where the kingdom showcases its unique landscapes and magical natural terrain.
GAZE INTO THE NIGHT SKY
The perfect place to witness the wonders of space, Moon Mountain in the Jabal al Jadib mountain range, where striking rock formations jut out from the sand, gained its name as it feels more like something from outer space than planet Earth. An hour’s drive north of Jeddah, it is a popular hideaway for locals looking to escape the urban bustle in favour of hikes and camping under the stars.
DISCOVER RICH MARINE LIFE
The coastal city of Jeddah is one of the most spectacular diving and snorkelling destinations, with many unique areas to discover the stunning marine life deep beneath the Red Sea. The area is pristine and untouched. Sharm Obhur is one of Jeddah’s best diving destinations, boasting everything from turtles to lionfish. For adrenaline-fuelled adventures, shark diving allows visitors to get up close to the elusive predators from the safety of an underwater cage.
Located southwest of Jeddah, Abu Tair is home to one of the world’s most famous shipwrecks. The Greek Staphonos, which sank in 1978, is also called the Cable Wreck as its cargo was mainly cables, fences and huge steel beams. The debris continues to attract whitetip sharks, goatfish and bluespotted rays. Other popular sites include Abu Faramish for wreck diving and the island of Jabal Al Laith, the largest incubator for whale sharks.
WALK THROUGH NATURE
About 260 kilometres from the city of Tabuk lies Wadi Al Disah, located in the Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Nature Reserve. The valley is famous for its mountainous terrain, lush palm trees, streams and hidden hot springs. Wadi Al Disah is also home to relics from the past dating back to the Nabataean Empire, with ancient writings etched all over the valley. The area provides the perfect opportunity for a hike or a picnic against the backdrop of the mountains along with the towering greenery.
HIKE TO THE EDGE OF THE WORLD
Around 90 minutes from Riyadh, a visit to The Edge of The World, or Jebel Fihrayn, is a must. Hikers can choose from a range of routes to get to the top of the 300-metre cliffs which overlook the country’s dramatic desert landscape.
EMBARK ON NEW ADVENTURES
AlUla is positioning itself as the ultimate outdoor adventure destination with a range of activities, from rock climbing to mountain biking, set in the backdrop of this ancient Nabataean region. As well as being steeped in history, experiences in the area include zip lining, the via ferrata and the canyon hammock experience – the ridge walk for hiking with a view – and abseiling.
ESCAPE TO NATURE
The Rawdat Tinhat campsite, 180 kilometres north of Riyadh, is a haven for flora and fauna, a perfect spot to camp
out and get a taste of the kingdom’s natural beauty. Rawdat Tinhat is located adjacent to the Rawdat Khuraim nature reserve and park, also known as the King’s Forest, and late November marks the start of camping season. During the cooler months, the desert is transformed into a carpeted green oasis. On the journey from the capital, the highway blooms with trees and shrubs as the desert sands give way to native flowers.
VISIT STAND ME4410, ME4440
The Edge of The World
Success story
Founded in 1992, the UAE-based leading hotel management company, Rotana, is well positioned for further growth in the region with bold, new strategies
Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas, Abu Dhabi
Rotana has become one of the region’s leading homegrown hospitality brands, currently operating 70 hotels in the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe, serving more than six million guests per year, including 10,012 keys across 36 hotels in the UAE alone.
As the brand showcases its latest offerings at ATM 2022, Guy Hutchinson, President & CEO, tells us that things are only on the up. “Rotana has achieved a number of milestones as it continued its tenacious expansion over the past year. We continue to consolidate our growth in the region as we forecast an extremely positive future for the industry,” he said.
With an immediate pipeline of four hotels scheduled to open before the end of 2022, the stage is set for the company’s continued growth. “The future pipeline consists of 42 upcoming projects, including 10 that will deliver more than 3,000 keys in the next three years,” he said, with significant hotel signings and new agreements due to take place in Manama, Bahrain and Jubail in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, alongside further expansion in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Turkey.
“In Qatar, we recently signed a new project that includes the management of Residences by Rotana, a 503-key property. We continue to strengthen our presence in Egypt marking Rotana’s debut in the capital with the signing of a management agreement for a 500-key Rotana hotel in New Cairo, along with a 180-key Rotana hotel in Alamein in the North Coast,” he said.
Rotana is announcing its latest brand, Edge, at this year’s ATM, with the concept delivering a powerful performance advantage to existing hospitality brands and supporting day-to-day systems and operations management. ATM is the perfect launchpad as it serves as “a great meeting point for the tourism world between hotel owners, leaders and operators in this region and beyond,” explained Hutchinson.
Edge provides peace of mind to hotel owners who can access over 11,000 skilled team members, enabling underperforming assets to accelerate returns, and leverage Rotana’s knowledge and expertise. “For hotel owners who value independence and do not wish to undertake a traditional management transition, Edge by Rotana is the answer.”
As Rotana eyes global expansion, Edge allows the brand to tap into additional international markets. Designed to work for any property type, it reflects Rotana’s agility and adaptation to market trends, with two properties already signed under the brand, adding 328 keys in Dubai and a further 268 keys in Istanbul.
“It is a collection of independent hotels that retain their unique branding and individual characteristics, but, through connecting seamlessly and cost effectively to Rotana’s advanced management and commercial systems, are able to substantially accelerate financial performance.”
The diversification has partly been driven by the pandemic, which Hutchinson says altered consumer habits. “Consumer behaviour is still constantly evolving and with enduring travel changes, companies that adjust to cater for this level of flexibility will continue to lead recovery. Businesses need to be agile and flexible as we enter a new post-pandemic era.”
Flexibility continues to be paramount as guests are looking for hotels to be flexible with check-in and check-out times, updated cancellation policies and free cancellations against local and international travel restrictions. They are also seeking flexible upgrades that allow them to have a better room to be able to work from and have more space.
Palmeraie Rotana Resort, Marrakech
Within this post-pandemic strategy also lies further efforts to push the principles of Rotana Earth, with forwardthinking campaigns focusing on reducing waste and energy consumption in all areas of the hotel’s operations, as well as reducing landfills and food waste.
ATM is at the forefront of Rotana’s strategy into a new era of growth. “ATM continues to be a great platform for industry leaders to connect and forge stronger alliances, further reasserting the public’s confidence in the future of travel, advancing the conversation on wider growth opportunities and introducing our upcoming expansion plans in the region,” said Hutchinson.
“With a greater sense of community that developed in the hospitality industry, ATM comes at a perfect time to reinforce this environment of strong support and collaboration.”
